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Kin
"Kin" is the generic term for all humanoid species in Landfall. The most common and relatable are the man-kin -- synonymous with "mankind." But there are many other kin, such as the elf-kin and eld-kin. Shared characteristics of all kin include intelligence, language, familial society, male and female genders, a soul, and a potential gift for magic. Theoretically, all kin species may interbreed, producing half-breeds. In the ancient panamaris, kin are grouped among pergyl of the vael -- the same tier as animals and subordinate to the a'an (the gods). As such, despite the ego of some man-kin, most kin view themselves as vulnerable to the caprices of nature and, more broadly, consider the time of their species' existence to be inherently limited. Man-kin: The humans of Landfall. Specifically, the Thlossians, Tazitan, and Shaolei. They are found only in the Green Cradle and Shaolei regions of Landfall -- other climates are too harsh, cold, and unsuitable for farming. Man-kin are ubiquitous, physically diverse, adaptable, and proliferant. Thlossian man-kin typically have pale skin, although inhabitants of the Cliffs Region (Valenport, Trevi, and Marcliff) have a tan or olive hue. Tazitan man-kin typically have dark brown skin. Shaolei man-kin have so-called "yellow" skin. Before and during the Myriad, man-kin were known for their high magical potential. But since the Myriad, man-kin's magical potential has been severely dampened by social stigma and the Barrier. In the absence of magic, man-kin have embraced manual labor, technology, and industry, and have become renown for this instead. Ever since Atressa's Accord, the Ahzulan sea gods have regarded the man-kin as their property. The Covenant effectively acts as an amendment to Atressa's Accord, emancipating the man-kin, so long as they agree to cherish and protect their new home, the Green Cradle. Long before the Myriad, Thlossian and Tazitan man-kin used to worship the Ahzulan out of fear and respect, but that practice has ceased. Elf-kin: The "elves" of Landfall. Their home is the tropical and forested islands off the far southwest corner of the Green Cradle, but elf-kin immigrants can be found throughout the Green Cradle. Similar to man-kin (and likely due to some interbreeding), elf-kin are physically diverse. On average, however, elf-kin are slimmer and taller than man-kin. Elf-kin have oddly-hued pink, blue, or jet black skin. Man-kin call them "poppy elf-kin" or "blue elf-kin" (black elf-kin are included among the "blue"). Among elf-kin, those with blue skin are called Dwellerkin, and they mostly come from the larger main islands of Lo'ail Eilin. Those with pink skin ("poppy elf-kin") are called Wylderkin, and they mostly come from the more exotic, small northern islands. Elf-kin tend to be very racist toward others of different skin color, tolerating each other only out of necessity. Elfin skin tone is hereditary and dominant -- any crossbred man-elf child will have pink or blue skin. Elfin skin tone also manifests as a blended trait. In other words, an elf child will always have a skin tone that is somewhere between the skin tones of his parents. Thus, jet black elf-kin are rare and they strongly prefer to associate with and marry other jet black elf-kin. It is possible, though extremely rare, for an elf-kin to have a "calico" mix of blue and pink skin -- called T'giri. This trait occurs almost exclusively in females. Most T'giri are social outcasts. Black Talon Furion Windtrail is a T'giri elf-kin -- the only known living male calico. Elf society espouses peace with nature and respect for the environment. Paradoxically, elf-kin are also known as vicious warriors who frequently war for honor among themselves. Although elf-kin often leave their home islands to visit and travel among the man-kin, they rarely permit other kin to visit them. Thus, elf society and politics are mostly a mystery to others. Duerghen or Dwer-kin: The "dwarves" of Landfall. They inhabit wilderness and mountain regions that are uninhabited by other kin. In particular, duerghen are believed to be hiding in the Shivering Peaks and the forest of Treth. They avoid contact with man and elf-kin and have not been seen for centuries. They are mostly extinct. They are slightly bigger than a large dog and covered in thick, long hair. They have their own language, and most of them do not understand Feldhasel Common. They are not involved in man or elf-kin affairs. Duerghen dig deep, sometimes complex burrows underground, where they spend most of their time. Their burrows are well-hidden and unknown to other kin. The mythical underground duerghen "kingdom" is called the Blood Deep and is said to have red walls. According to legend, duerghen warn travelers who stray too close to their burrows by banging on deep drums, causing thunder and bringing rain. Travelers who encounter sudden thunderstorms in uncharted wilderness regions are advised to turn back or change course. Duerghen worship the Izilan and avoid large bodies of water at all costs. Eld-kin: The giants of Landfall. They inhabit wilderness and mountain regions typically along the northern and eastern edges of the Green Cradle -- areas such as the Scar and edges of the Northreaches. Norst call them anjotr, which means "original owners." Not to be confused with ogrim, eld are majestic, intelligent, and often magical. There is wide diversity among the eld, each subspecies having its own name and characteristics. Generally, though, eld are one-and-a-half to three times taller than a tall man-kin, and much stronger than a strong one. For a description of the various eld subspecies, see eld-kin. They avoid other kin and mark their territory with tusks, bones, stacked boulders, or hideous carved totems. Eld deeply distrust man-kin, and most eld tribes are aligned with Althuzah because they worship the Aran. Some eld tribes are neutral, however. Eld are the most ancient kin in Landfall. Cayrien records suggest that the eld inhabited Landfall before the Long Night and the arrival of man-kin. Eldin mythology agrees with this. The eld Hearthsong, a history chant, describes an origin world similar to Eterra, called Ildsted, from which the eld and elf-kin traveled to Landfall to escape the man-kin. Hundreds of years later, having despoiled Ildsted with Folly, the man-kin followed the eld to Landfall, which has likewise now been tainted. The eld native language is the most ancient language in Landfall. It is called Elder, and it is the source of most ancient untranslated words (such as Izu'a'ir, jaishen, and maere). Nor-folk: The Nor-folk are a large population of tribal man-eld halfbreeds living in the frozen mountains north of the Shivering Peaks, in the far northwest corner of the Green Cradle. They are outcast from both man-kin and eld-kin societies and live peacefully in seclusion. They have a blend of man and eld physical characteristics -- they are much taller, stronger, and hardier than typical man-kin. But their society is more social and cooperative than typical eld-kin. Very little is known about nor-folk society and culture. Their existence, however, suggests that man and eld lived and worked closely together, at some point in Landfall's distant history. Most Nor-folk do not speak Feldhasel Common. Instead, they speak a derivative of ancient Elder, called Nor-elder. Thorn is a nor-folk ziraduun, captured by Ardent outside Coldwater in Book 1. Fae-kin: The "faeries" of Landfall. Fae-kin are found throughout the Green Cradle, typically in temperate forests, grassy hills, and pastoral glades. There are many varieties of fae, but the most common and well-known are the siabra -- to the point where "siabra" is the common term for fae. Fae are tiny, usually small enough to hold in one's hand. They have pointed ears and pink or blue skin, just like elf-kin. Some fae have green skin, some have tails, and many have wings. They range widely in intellect, from little more than basic animal instinct to conversant in multiple languages. They are highly social and almost never alone. They bond deeply with native wildlife and can communicate, through unknown means, with most animals. They form complex cooperative societies with wolves, bears, eagles, squirrels, frogs, and many other creatures. They avoid man and elf-kin and have not been seen for centuries. Nonetheless, they are believed to still thrive throughout the Green Cradle. Magic is ubiquitous among the fae. They are unique among the kin, in that they are the only ones believed to have been created in Landfall after the Covenant. Specifically, it is believed that the fae are an inherently magical kin who spontaneously emerged as a side-effect of woe during the Myriad. As such, they are deeply feared and distrusted by most man and elf-kin. Luri-kin: The "halflings" of Landfall. Small luri-kin settlements are scattered throughout the Green Cradle, in all climates. They tend to avoid contact with other kin -- not out of fear or animosity, but rather because other kin tend to treat them rudely. They are small, ranging from one-third to two-thirds the height of a typical man-kin, and they are physically diverse. Some luri-kin are strong; some are weak. Some are hardy; some are frail -- just like man-kin. They have widely varying patterns of hair and fur, ranging from blonde to black to mottled. Most are covered in short fur from head to toe. They are regarded as "clever," but not particularly intelligent. Luri-kin strongly prefer peace and avoid conflict at all costs. They would rather pick up their entire settlement and move, rather than fight to defend it against invaders. They avoid political entanglements and territorial disputes, claiming only unsettled, unwanted wilderness lands. Each luri-kin community is its own miniature state, usually managed by a democratic counsel. They are friendly toward visitors and open to trade, but they do not pledge fealty to any man-kin crown, regardless of where they settle. Thus, they are often eventually chased away into wilderness by local lords. Some scholars respect the luri-kin for their worldly knowledge, gained through frequent travel and meticulous record-keeping. In particular, the luri-kin have the best known records of events during the Lost Years, because they escaped most of the war and destruction wrought by man and elf during that time. Mer-kin: The "mermaids" and "mermen" of Landfall. Mer-kin are believed to live in the Twin Star Sea among the Ahzulan. They can breathe underwater and may have scales or webbed appendages. They are the least well-known of the kin. The dominant man-kin culture, the Thlossians, fears the sea, almost never travels beyond sight of shore, and therefore has not encountered mer-kin for almost 2000 years. The last contact between mer and man was during Water's Age. The mer are therefore now just a distant myth. Unknown to the man-kin, mer thrive throughout the ocean-covered southern hemisphere of the planet Landfall. They have a diverse and prosperous underwater society. They respect the Ahzulan and deeply fear the land. Therefore, they avoid the shores and never come in contact with other kin. Humorously, mer cannot tell the difference between man and elf-kin. They call them both oorou oowu, which means "air swimmer" and is considered an insult. Syl-kin: The wisps of Landfall. The syl-kin are an ancient legend and have not been seen in Landfall for centuries. Their existence is highly doubted. Unlike the other kin, who each have a variety of races, there is only one known race of syl-kin -- called the Singers. The legend of the Singers is directly tied to the legend of the Songblade. In myth, the Singers are the elite magical guardians of the Songblade. In their native form, syl-kin are simply clouds of pink mist or smoke. As such, they are not truly kin -- the name syl-"kin" is a misnomer -- and they are actually magical monsters. According to legend, however, they frequently coalesce into humanoid forms resembling scaled, lizard-faced elf-kin. It is unknown why they assume such an "ugly" form, rather than something more humanoid, since presumably they can imitate any form they want. They are able to shapeshift between solid and gaseous forms at will. Thus, they are immune to all ordinary weapons, which pass harmlessly through their misty "bodies." They can still be ignited by fire, smothered by earth, or drowned -- but it is extremely difficult to do so. Against all but the most prepared opponents, they are effectively invincible. Also, according to myth, they live forever and do not procreate. Syl-kin are golam -- they exist only the flesh, without any shadow or dream soul. In mist-form, they communicate by compressing air into highly focused chirps and vibrations, similar to birds. In kin-form, they can speak most Landfall languages and can emit deafening "barks" capable of knocking a man off his feet. The origin of the fae-kin is believed to be somehow linked to the syl-kin, but the exact connection is unknown.